Our first reader survey since 2003 – and the first one ever since we added an online edition to St. Norbert College Magazine – has given us an up-to-date picture of how you, our readers, feel about the publication. And the data we gathered is also contributing to the first wide-ranging look at college and university magazine readership.

College magazines tend to be well-received, according to the CASE Member Magazine Readership Survey, which includes readers of some 200 higher-ed publications. St. Norbert readers’ response to their publication is slightly more favorable still than the national norm.

There were other responses that set our magazine apart, too. For one, 57 percent of our readers report that the magazine helps them feel in touch with their graduating class. That figure is only 46 percent for college magazine readers overall. The value we place on community, born of our Norbertine heritage, apparently translates into the alumni experience, too.

Survey results also point to other ways in which our readers rely on the magazine to connect with one another.

About 10 percent more of our readers than is typical are interested or very interested in class notes and alumni activities – alumni in their professions, alumni in service, and alumni in their personal lives. (So are we!) Likewise, our readers are more interested than others in reading about current students’ community service efforts, extracurricular activities, achievements and opinions.

Since our last reader survey, we have added a web edition along with a Facebook page that helps disseminate media-rich web exclusives and current news. Thirty-seven percent of our readers now peruse both print and online editions. This figure and others put the St. Norbert community ahead of the curve in adopting and consuming electronic media as a means of communication.

In fact, 45 percent of our readers say they get all or most of their information about the college via e-mails from the institution; only 33 percent of readers overall say the same. And nearly half of our readers say they have visited the college’s website, www.snc.edu, as a result of reading the publication, versus 31 percent of readers overall.

Readers in general spend a surprising amount of time with their magazines, the survey found. Seventeen percent spend more than one hour with each issue.

St. Norbert College Magazine readers spend a tad less time with their issue overall, perhaps because our magazine has fewer pages than most. But their response to our publication’s cover, design, photography and ease of reading is slightly more favorable than the national norm, the survey showed. Ninety-two percent feel that the publication strengthens their connection to the college.

We offered entry into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate as a way of thanking our respondents for their time. Nicole Larson ’04 was our lucky winner.

30 percent of you keep your issue for more than one month.

94 percent of you typically spend more than 10 minutes with each issue, and 54 percent of you spend more than 30 minutes.

83 percent of you are interested or very interested in reading more Alumni Notes. (Keep sending them in – we enjoy them too.)

You rate the quality of your publication higher than the national average – thank you! More than 90 percent of you think the cover and photography, in particular, are good or excellent. Content, ease of reading, writing, layout and design rate not far behind.

Look here for web-only content that expands on topics presented in the current St. Norbert College Magazine.

Fight song gets new lyricsMusic professors Michael Rosewall and Linda Cook help us “Raise our voices to the Green and Gold” with renewed spirit.